All,
I'm sure this is posted somewhere on this forum, but I'm on vacation typing this from a phone, not easy to search, the car is a 2004 manual, no mods, reg maintenance, 45000K miles. Here's the scenario, was in stop and go traffic for about a hour or so, couldn't even get outta first before I had to stop again. Finally, got on the interstate and started accelerating and engine starts to cutoff at around 5000 rpms, if I kept the rpms below 5/4K seemed to drive fine. I put the car in neutral, and rev the engine a couple times, engine revs twice and shuts off. I restart the car, starts back up fine, but same problem as soon as I approach 5K rpms, engine starts to shutoff/sputter. I get it back to the hotel, shut it off, let it sit for 5 minutes and start it up. I rev the engine a couple times and take it for a short spin with no problems. My problem is I head back home tomorrow and really don't want to break down on alligator alley in the middle of the night. I would take it to a local dealer, but really don't want to pay for them to tell me nothings wrong or to charge me an arm and leg to for a minor issue.

On a side note, I'm glad I have a G1 phone.

 

Two possibilities - fuel filter or melted cat.....

Similar symptoms. The filter sock can be 'cleaned' by just filling the tank, it sweeps the crap off the filter sock - are you in the bottom third of a tank? The filter usually plugs after a hard uphill or long fast straight has used a lot of fuel quickly.

The melted cat will only let a little exhaust thru, then choke off the motor, so it usually starts well, but power disappears if you drive hard/rev high.

S

 

I had just filled the tank before all this started, so it's at 3/4's right now. How can I tell if the cat is melted?

 

How does it drive?

Does it idle fine, start off fine, then choke when you stomp on it?

The definitive way would be to get under and undo the three bolts holding cat to header, then look in to see either 'fine honeycomb ceramic' or a melted blob'o'glass....

If you are in warranty, it would be covered.

S

 

That's exactly how it was driving. I'll have to find someplace I can jack it up and take a look. If I gutted the cat, would it cause any problems till I could get it replaced?

 

Just a CEL, no limp mode or other probs.

S

 

Thank you, thank you for all your help. I'll jack it up tomorrow when it's light and if the cat is melted, gut it till I can get back to Tampa and replace it with something else.

 

sorry,

that is classic fuel pump.. have done it more than once..

shut it off for 10 min and it is fine again..

beers